In the United States, required training must be completed within 90 days of employment by all personnel who are involved in packaging and shipping category A infectious substances and/or dry ice (when shipped by air in quantities greater than 5.5 pounds). Relevant documented training from a previous employer is also acceptable.
Training requirements, which are stated in the Code of Federal Regulations at 49 CFR 172.704, include:
- General awareness/familiarization training
- Function-specific training
- Safety training
- Security awareness training (Category A substances)
Safety Training Safety training must be provided by the facility where the infectious materials are packaged and must include:
- Emergency response information
- Measures to protect the employee from the hazards associated with hazardous materials to which they may be exposed in the workplace, including specific measures the hazmat employer has implemented to protect employees from exposure
- Methods and procedures for avoiding accidents, such as the proper procedures for handling packages containing hazardous materials
OSHA bloodborne pathogens training is generally sufficient to meet the safety requirement for packaging and shipping infectious materials.
Security Training
Security awareness training is required for personnel who package and ship Category A specimens. More details will be provided later in the course.
